Process of producing desensitized explosives and products thereof



uNrrEo STATES PATENT QFFICE.

KINGSLEY AJGILLES PIE, OF WOODB'URY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO E. I. DU IPON'I' DE NEMOURS & COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A GORIPORATION OF DELA- WARE.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING DESENSITIZED EXPLOSIVES AND PRODUCTS THEREOF.

No Drawing.

full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates particularly to a process of producing desensitized explosives and the product thereof, but it has especial reference to the production of explosive compositions which are used in filling grenades.

The object of my invention is to provide a process by which an explosive may be desensitized, and particularly by means of I which explosive compositions that are used in filling grenades may be rendered insensitive, so that they will-not be exploded when pierced by rifle bullets, and relates also to the product thus produced.

The object of my invention is, furthermore, to provide explosive compositions having the followingcharacteristics and properties: The composition has suificient strength to fragment the metallic envelop of a grenade and drive the fragments at a high velocity to a maximum range; it is sufiiciently insensitive to be pierced by a service bullet fired from a standard army rifle when contained. in a cardboard container; it can be effectively detonated with a blasting cap'containing 1 gram of a mixture of 90 parts fulminate of mercury and 10 parts chlorate of potash; it will withstand the. action of a humid atmosphere; the composition is free-running, and maybe readily loaded through small loading holes; and it will not be in to decompose at 655C.

Still another 0 ject of my invention is to provide a process in which the explosive composition to be produced is desensitized before the drying operation, which thus renders the drying operation comparatively safe.

Further objects of my invention will appear from the detailed description thereof contained hereinafter.

While myinvention is capable of being carried out in many difi'erent ways,'for the I purpose of illustration I shall describe here- Specification of letters Patent.

Application filed June 3, 1918. Serial No. 237,891.

in only certain ways of carrying out the same.

For example, in carrying out my invention 'I may proceed as follows: A quantity of wet nitrostarch as it comes from the wringers, which may have a weight of 650.7 pounds and which may contain from 19% to 25% of water, is screened to break up the lumps, and is then mixed in a mixer of any suitable character with 6.3 pounds of an oil, as for example heavy lubricating petroleum oil, and 41.5 pounds of a solution of gum arabic carrying 12% of gum arabic and 88% of water. The gum arabic solution is of such a strength as to contain a quantity of water which, together with the water present in the nitrostarch, will give the mixture the ,proper consistency for graining, that is to say so as to enable the same to be formed into grains which will take the size of the mesh of the screen through which the graining is brought about. The mixture is then grained by passing through a screen having 10 meshes to the inch, and thereafter the grained mixture is dried at a temperature of from 90 to 120 F. for a period of'about 40 hours.

It will thus be seen that the oil and water, which have the eifect of desensitizing themixture, are added before the drying takes place.

In the last-mentioned composition, however, considerable variation of the character 1'00 and quantity of the constituents may. take place, the original composition before dry-' in being varied accordingly.

- 'or example, the resultant composition 0 may contain from 0.75% to 2.00% of the 105 oil; the gum arabio may vary from 0.75% to 2.00%; the water may range from 0.25% up to 2.00%.

Instead of the nitrostarch, furthermore, nitrated vegetable ivor may be used; instead of the heavy lu ricating petroleum oil any other oil having a desensitizing effect may be used; and instead of the gum arabic any other water-soluble gum may be utilized.

While I have described my invention above in detail, I wish it to be understood that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. The process which comprises desensitizing a composition containing a nitrated carbohydrate by providing water and an oil therein, at least a part of the water being present as water added in the manufacture of the explosive compound.

2. The process which comprises desensitizing a composition containing a nitrated carbohydrate by providing Water and an oil therein, at least a part of the water being present as water added in the manufacture of the explosive compound, and then drying the same.

3. The process which comprises desensitizing a composition containing nitrostarch by providing water and an oil therein, at least a art of the Water being present as Water added in the manufacture ofthe nitrostarch. 4. The process which comprises desensi tizing a composition containing nitrostarch byproviding Water and an oil therein, at

least a part of the Water being present as Water added in the manufacture of the nitrostarch, and then drying the same.

5. An explosive containing a nitrated carbohydrate that is desensitized by the presence of water and an oil.

6. An explosive containing nitrostarch and a desensitizing liquid comprising an oil.

7. An explosive containing nitrostarch that is desensitized by the presence of water and an oil.

8. An explosive containing nitrostarch that is desensitized by the presence of a desensitizing liquid and an adhesive. I

3). .ln explosive containing nitrostarch that is desensitized by the presence of water and an adhesive.

10. An explosive containing nitrostarch that is desensitized by the presence of water and an oil and an adhesive.

11. An explosive containing nitrostarch that is desensitized by the presence of a desensitizing liquid and gum arabic. I

12. An explosive containing nitrostarch that is desensitized by the presence of Water and gum arabic.

13. An explosive containing nitrostarch that is desensitized by the presence of water and an oil and gum arabic.

14. An explosive containing undried nitrostarch that is desensitized by the presence of Water and an oil.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set In hand.

KINGSL Y A. GILLESPIE. Witnesses:

J. M. COWGILL, W, L. ARMSTRONG. 

